"My lord, those tracks…we're not following a stag. There are Turnskins in these woods."
- —Gundred Maynir, Huntsmaster[2a]
A skilled hunter ready to unleash her bow upon her prey.
A hunter is an individual who hunts game for meat and furs in the Empire of Man and much of the Old World.
While the Empire has come far from the primitive tribes of Men that founded it over 2,500 years ago, some things haven't changed at all. Although peasants till parts of the land, huge expanses of the Empire are still covered with forest or are hostile to agriculture. These are the lands where hunters and trappers thrive.
Role[]
Hunters use the same techniques as their ancestors to take down game, be it a trap or a well-placed shot of bow or firearm. It takes skill to stalk wild animals while avoiding the dark creatures of the woods. Hunters in their animal skin clothes and fur hats may appear uncouth to city folks, but they don't much care what others think of them.[1a]
Many members of Imperial society hunt, even if they are not professional hunters. Nobles hunt for sport, hiring particularly skilled hunters to serve as their huntsmasters. These leaders of the noble's hunting parties are expert trackers with access to all the noble's equipment -- weapons, hawks, hounds and horses.[2a]
On the other end of the social scale, some peasants hunt out of necessity. When they hunt in ways that break manorial laws, they become poachers. Poaching increases greatly during times of famine, even though the punishment for the crime under Imperial law is the removal of two fingers -- the inability to ever draw a bow again. Other hunters wind up on the other side of the law, joining the emperor's armies to serve as archers and scouts.[2a]
The Empire has many accomplished archers in its ranks but none are more skilled than the Imperial Huntsmen. They typically hail from the more rural regions of the nation such as Ostland or Hochland and are extremely capable of hunting game birds, stags and even Jabberslythes in the dense forest of the Drakwald.[3a]
In areas where there is a good supply of game, hunting lodges are built as a useful base in which to store kills before they are taken back to civilisation. Lodges are rarely occupied on a constant basis, so when the season begins hunters have to make sure they are clear of other things that may have taken residence during the winter months.[3b]
Hunting and the Nobility[]
They say hunting is a pursuit of the nobility. In Bretonnia they call it the "sport of kings," and it is true that many nobles across the Empire indulge in the pastime. The more martially successful nobles might cynically point out that there is plenty of sport to be had defending the Empire's borders from her enemies, or even fighting in the incessant minor squabbles that break out between its multitude of baronies. But it is also fair to say that the sort of skills that hunters hone are the ones that often win battles.[4a]
It is a noble tradition that after a kill, the successful hunters drink the blood of their quarry. This is frowned upon as appearing a bit too close to the practices of proscribed gods, but nobles are a law unto themselves.[4a]
Nobles tend to hunt on horseback with large retinues. They also use teams of beaters or dogs to flush out their quarry, and then they dispatch it with sword, spear, bow, or even firearm, depending on the local fashion. This method is only possible because of the number of servants at their command, and their great wealth. Certainly, it is not done for food, as a good hunt costs more to host than the most lavish banquet.[4a]
Finding the hunting grounds on their estates hemmed in by agricultural land and lacking the great sport that their grandparents enjoyed, the nobility have begun to be more careful about their prey. No longer content to pick up the odd wandering deer, they have begun organising their hunting grounds, looking after the animals on their patch so they can be fit for the hunt, and being careful to leave enough breeding pairs so that their stocks increase.[4a]
Aspiring nobles like to show their wealth by organising events which are more often social gatherings or political arenas than actual hunts. These recreational hunts are so contrived that servants often do all the actual hunting while their betters ride around aimlessly, swigging Bretonnian brandy, and taking credit for the kill.[4a]
It's certainly a long way from the noble sport of a single hunter against a single animal in a battle of wills and wits. So annoyed by this sort of senseless killing, one Taalite priest has dedicated himself to interrupting these hunts, confusing the hounds, putting them off the scent, and covering the tracks of the quarry.[4a]
Some hunts are taken extremely seriously, and their hosts only invite like-minded guests. For example, Baroness Leona von Kugelbach organises an annual hunt on her estate in the mountains of western Wissenland and only invites the keenest hunters, who still must practically beg for a place. The terrain of the Kugelbach estate is extremely treacherous and with the rivalry between many of these avid noble hunters, injuries are inevitable.[4a]
The estate of Graf Rudiger von Unheimlich was famous for being home to Unicorns, which he hunted. Rumour has it that after catching a fellow noble with his mistress, Rudiger set them loose in his forest and hunted them to death. The graf later died in a hunting accident.[4a]
Demigryphs are prized by the nobility, and many prospective knights travel deep into the forest to track down these ferocious predators and capture one alive to be trained as a mount. As keen as such knights are, they often need a hand to organise the expedition and help with logistics, navigation, and the capture. Some wealthy knights, on the other hand, outsource the entire endeavour.[4a][4b]
Griffons are highly prized mounts among the nobility of the Old World. If one can be found when young, it can be trained to serve its master loyally. The bravest knights might pride themselves on finding and taming their mount themselves, but many are not above buying an egg or a chick from a hunter. However, adult Griffons are tenacious in protecting their young. They have incredible eyesight and may stalk their quarry for days on end.[4b]